TF: Blue Devils take two javelin Titles at Texas relays

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The Duke men’s and women’s track and field team saw success at day two of the 87th running of the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, with the Blue Devils winning both the men’s and women’s college javelin competition. A school record also fell in the women’s heptathlon in Austin.

Redshirt sophomore Thomas Lang has shown no signs of rust after missing an entire year of competition to injury. Following fouls on his first two attempts in the javelin, Lang posted a mark of 214-0.00 (65.23), advancing him to the second round of the competition. After fouling on his first attempt of the second round, Lang launched the javelin 227-0.00 (69.21), securing the win and placing him nearly two feet ahead of the second-place finisher. Lang remained in second on Duke’s all-time list with the effort and sits less than seven feet behind Duke’s record holder and former All-American John Austin. Lang has posted personal-best javelin throws in two consecutive meets.

Freshman Christine Streisel required just two throws to capture the Texas Relays College Javelin, winning the event with a distance of 161-5.00 (49.20) on her second attempt. Streisel nearly matched her throw of 164-6.00 (50.15) from one week earlier, when the Tamaqua, Pa., native won the Carolina Relays.

In addition to Lang and Streisel, the heptathletes and decathletes also concluded day two of competition. Redshirt sophomores Karli Johonnot and Teddi Maslowski, competing in their first heptathlon of 2014, placed 10th and 11th, respectively. Johonnot accumulated 5,342 points over the two-day event, placing her first on Duke’s all-time list, while Maslowski amassed 5,209 points, the second highest point total in school history.

Johonnot and Maslowski opened competition with distances of 17-8.25 (5.39) and 18-4.50 (5.60) in the long jump, respectively. Following the long jump, Maslowski earned a personal-best mark of 102-5.00 (21.23) in the javelin, while Johonnot sent the implement over 115 feet, ending the penultimate event with a distance of 117-0.00 (35.67).

In the final event of the heptathlon, the 800, Maslowski won her heat in a time of 2:15.89, nearly matching her personal best. Johonnot closed her first heptathlon of 2014 with an 800-meter time of 2:23.33.

In the decathlon, Rohner saw a career day en route to a personal-best decathlon point total of 7,047, earning the Sumter, S.C., native a ninth-place finish. Rohner’s effort ranks third on Duke’s all-time decathlon list. Junior Ian Rock participated in the first two events of day two, the 110-meter hurdles and the discus, before withdrawing from the competition. Redshirt senior Curtis Beach did not participate in the second day of the decathlon.

Rohner opened day two of the decathlon with a personal-record time of 16.13 in the 110m hurdles, finishing over three-tenths of a second faster than his previous best. Rock also saw a personal-best fall, running a time of 15.43.

In the discus, Rohner posted a personal-best throw of 119-0.00 (36.28) before recording his best throw of the day, 121-0.00 (36.88), on his second attempt. Rock also saw a previous best fall in the discus, recording a throw of 108-4.00 (33.02).

In the pole vault, the third-to-last event of the decathlon, Rohner saw another personal best fall after clearing 13-5.25 (4.10) on his second attempt at the height.

In the penultimate event, the javelin, Rohner once again bested a previous personal record, launching the javelin 162-5.00 (49.50) on his third and final attempt of the afternoon.

Rohner, capping off a successful afternoon of competition, won the 1,500m run, the final event of the decathlon, in a time of 4:34.51, another personal-record effort.

Over the five events of the second day, Rohner bested his previous records in each discipline, including winning the 1,500 to conclude his first decathlon of 2014.

The Blue Devils open day three of competition with the 4x100 on the track at 9:35 a.m. (CT). Field events begin at 10 a.m. (CT), with the shot put.